Following three phases of competition, one new champion was crowned in the 2024 USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – West on November 9 at National Sunshine Series 2 in Thermal, CA. With a win in the final bracket phase, that honor went to 15-year-old Desi Cyr of Aspen, CO.
“It feels so good [to win!],” said Cyr, who rode Chatino PS in the opening phases of the class at the Desert International Horse Park. “I never would have expected it, so it’s really fun.”
Desi Cyr and Chatino PS. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
On her way to the win, Cyr first earned a score of 86.5 in the fences phase, made up of a course of jumps set at 3’3”. That score put her into fourth place and secured her a spot in the flat phase, where the top 10 underwent flatwork in front of judges Abbey Blankenship and Troy Hendricks.
“My first round, I just wanted to have a smooth, consistent round,” said Cyr, who has been partnered with the 8-year-old Chatino PS, owned by JT Equine LLC, for just the past two months. “Then, for the flat, I wanted to show off a little bit. [Chatino] has a really nice canter and trot, so he’s easy to sit to and just show off on the flat.”
Desi Cyr earned the win in the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – West. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Following the flat portion of the class, the field was narrowed down to the top four for the bracket phase. In this final phase, riders go head-to-head on horses they have not ridden before, creating an experience similar to that of competing on a National Collegiate Equestrian Association team.
Cyr and Taryn McEntire, who sat in fourth place and first place, respectively, both competed aboard Grace Russo’s mount, Jarabel Z. Russo, in third place, and Brooke O’Malley, in second place both faced off aboard Cyr’s Chantino PS.
At the end of the first step of the bracket phase, it was Cyr and Russo who emerged victorious. Cyr earned a score of 83 over McEntire’s score of 78, while Russo earned a score of 85 to best O’Malley’s score of 83. Those scores earned O’Malley third place and McEntire fourth place – and it was on to the final faceoff for Cyr and Russo.
As their last test, both riders completed the same course aboard McEntire’s mount, Crunch K. Russo returned first, earning a score of 84, and then it all came down to Cyr.
Desi Cyr and Chatino PS. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“I studied some of [Crunch K]’s videos before I went in just to get ahold of his stride and how to manage it,” said Cyr, who trains with Michael and Christa Endicott of Pegasus Show Stable. “I watched Grace go before, and she got down the lines pretty quickly, so I just wanted to stay out. I wanted to have a smooth round and put in my best effort and just breath!”
Cyr’s plan paid off, and a score of 88 secured her the win, with Russo taking second place.
As a sophomore in high school, the class gave Cyr a taste of what may be to come should she compete on an NCEA team in college, and it gave her the opportunity to further put her name on the map as she soon begins to apply to universities. To learn more about the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal program, click here, and to view full results of the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – West, click here.